H.-18

WAR PFjNSIONS. The outstanding incident of the period covered by this report was the placing of the administration of the War Pensions Act, which received the Governor's consent on the 4th August, 1915, under the control of the Department. The adjudication of claims thereunder is in the hands of a Board of three members, whose secretary is the chief administrative officer of the Department. The various Registrars of Pensions throughout the Dominion, are the medium through which claims for pension are lodged, and any investigation necessary is conducted at Head Office, the records of the Defence Department being largely used in connection therewith. The Board's meetings are mostly held in Wellington, four and often five evening sittings being held weekly. It is recognized, however, that in a large number of soldiers' claims a true appraisement of the permanent disability suffered by the applicant can only be determined by personal interview, and periodical visits are accordingly paid to different parts of the Dominion with the view to obtaining first-hand information before the permanency or otherwise of the pension is determined. The following summary relates to the total claims lodged :—

Officers. Men. Total. Total casualties by death to 31st March, 1917 .. 296 6,081 6,377 Total discharges from Forces to 31st March, 1917 1.90 7,353 7,543

Gross Annual Values of all Pensions granted.

Including the 1,018 children, the average of the grand total of 7,548 pensions granted to theSlst March, 1917, is £45 per annum. Summary op Annual Liability at 31st Maroh, 1917. Annual Average Number. Value. Pension. £ £ Soldiers (permanent and upwards of twelve months) . . 845 43,992 52 Soldiers (temporary) .. .. .. ..2,083 115,030 55 Widows (including pensions of children) .. .. 400 39,143 97 Parents and other*dependants of deceased soldiers .. 1,667 50,872 30 Dependants (temporary on account of disablement of soldier) ~ ~ .. .. .. 174 8,734 50 5,169 £257,771 £49

2

» To 31st March, 1916. To 31st Mi uch, 1917. Soldiers. Dependants. Soldiers. Dependants. Pensions granted (permanent and upwards of twelve months) Temporary pensions granted Claims declined Claims on hand 274 578 1,003 2.075 352 84 88 10 46 47 3,194 437 122 258 250 115 Total claims 798 681 4,756 2,698

Total to 31st Man :h, 1916. Total! to 31st Man sh, 1917. Number. Annual Value. Average Pension. Number. Annual Value. Average Pension. Soldiers (permanent and upwards of of twelve months) Widows Other dependants Soldiers (temporary) Dependants (temporary) 274 £ 14,314 £ 52 1,003 £ 53,087 £ 52 118 460 362 10,563* 13,813 17,798 89 30 49 434 1,641 3,194 258 42,916f 47,872 185,420 12,980} 98 29 . 58 50 Totals 1,214 56,488 46 6,530 342,195 52 * Including the pensions of 186 ehildn pensioi Including the is of 332 chile pensions of f>, Iren. '.6 children. | Tncli ding the